Hello Gurus, I'm wondering if you guys can recommend me a good GUI application to make my UI look better and easier to manipulate. I find eclipse to be quite a handful to work with. I read that netbeans can make make modifying the UI easier. Any other options you guys can suggest? free or paid are welcome! thanks!!
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Apps GUI recommendation?
- Thread starter marcc888
- Start date
alostpacket
Over Macho Grande?
The latest version of the SDK actually is supposed to have major improvments for creating UIs
I know Eclipse can be a beast sometimes, but if you can stand it, it would be of benefit to you as most Android development is centered around Eclipse.
I know Eclipse can be a beast sometimes, but if you can stand it, it would be of benefit to you as most Android development is centered around Eclipse.
Saw the latest I/O video about the improvements in the SDK for GUI layout, and immediately updated the SDK.
However, all the exciting improvements are not included, so we still have to play with the not so good designer.
After I now have got the experience in laying out screen setups, it is not that bad, but the learning curve is long and steep.
alostpacket
Over Macho Grande?
Once you get a handle on the conventions it's not too too bad. I remember thinking in the beginning how insane the logic and syntax of all the XML seemed to be. I still think it's pretty wacky, but at some point that patterns the API engineers used when they designed the API will just "click" in your mind. That's a good day 
alostpacket
Over Macho Grande?
Marcc888, you should check out some tutorials on theming the UI components.
Mostly the nice looking UIs use the same buttons as everyone else but they adjust little things like the colors and shadows and icons and whatnot.
Some links that might help:
UI stuff:
Applying Styles and Themes | Android Developers
User Interface Guidelines | Android Developers
icon stuff:
Icon Design Guidelines | Android Developers
Free Icon set - Icon Eden
Another IDE some people use is Intellij IDEA, but I have no idea if that's good or not. I think anyone using Intellij IDEA or Netbeans is at a disadvantage though, because most all of the Android SDK tools are designed around Eclipse. They all have command line alternatives, but the only IDE they work with is Eclipse.
hth
Mostly the nice looking UIs use the same buttons as everyone else but they adjust little things like the colors and shadows and icons and whatnot.
Some links that might help:
UI stuff:
Applying Styles and Themes | Android Developers
User Interface Guidelines | Android Developers
icon stuff:
Icon Design Guidelines | Android Developers
Free Icon set - Icon Eden
Another IDE some people use is Intellij IDEA, but I have no idea if that's good or not. I think anyone using Intellij IDEA or Netbeans is at a disadvantage though, because most all of the Android SDK tools are designed around Eclipse. They all have command line alternatives, but the only IDE they work with is Eclipse.
hth